"Computers are ubiquitous in modern life. They offer us portals to information and entertainment, and they handle the complex tasks needed to keep many facets of modern society running smoothly. Chances are, there is not a single person in Ars' readership whose day-to-day existence doesn't rely on computers in one manner or another. Despite this, very few people know how computers actually do the things that they do. How does one go from what is really nothing more than a collection - a very large collection, mind you - of switches to the things we see powering the modern world?"

That's a logical solution to unemployment, especially considering how employees are working longer hours each year. Within the past decade, US law was changed to specifically exclude IT workers from federal overtime pay requirements so that businesses are legally entitled to demand longer hours from us with zero additional pay (forget time and a half). So we're kind of moving in the opposite direction.

I think the problem you highlight is actually exacerbated by certain IT jobs being considered as above "entry level", if not "elite". IT administration is kind of like the janitorial equivalent in the eyes of the corporate types, but it requires a great amount of training and time. The sooner those IT jobs no longer require university degrees, the better.

With the momentum, IT jobs can become unionized again. Employers will just have to suck it.

"What does that matter? I'm talking about potential 50 years in the future. It's obviously part of a trend."

I'm a bit confused... it matters because you brought them up as examples of that trend "...the iPad and Android are able to make the possibility of programming available to a wider group of people..." I find them ironic choices for illustrating the point because technology could be less user accessible in the future.

The devices themselves may be less user accessible, but the trend I'm talking about is programming itself being available to people without going to university. As I understand it, the iPad and Android created a market for programmers that didn't require university degrees and established companies.

Yes, most apps are of poor quality, but it doesn't matter. The opportunity and market is now there, and no matter how many restrictions are put in place, you can't deny that programming itself is being opened up and your average student will start seeing programming as a required basic skill.

Incidentally, the FSF just sent an email about it's campaign to fight restricted boot devices, if anybody's interested: